Canada Minute: Issue 19

Canada Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Canadian politics.

📅 This Week In Canada: 📅

• Prime Minister Mark Carney met US President Donald Trump in Washington for the first time, aiming to reset strained Canada-US relations. Despite lingering tensions over tariffs and Trump’s offhand remark about Canada becoming the 51st state, the leaders described their meeting as constructive. Carney rejected Trump’s annexation rhetoric firmly, asserting that Canada is "not for sale," while Trump, though still toying with the idea, acknowledged it’s unlikely. The pair agreed to begin talks on updating the Canada-US-Mexico trade agreement, though no specifics were set. Carney pressed Trump to lift tariffs, especially those justified by fentanyl concerns, which Carney called unfounded. Trump praised Carney’s leadership and election win, contrasting him favourably with former PM Justin Trudeau, whom he criticized.
  
  
• Andrew Scheer has been appointed interim Opposition leader by the Conservative caucus while Pierre Poilievre, who lost his seat in Carleton, prepares to run in a byelection. Scheer, a former party leader and current Saskatchewan MP, will lead the Conservatives in Parliament when it reconvenes on May 26th. The Conservative Party caucus also voted to adopt the Reform Act, allowing members to review the party leader via secret ballot if necessary. However, most MPs expressed strong support for Poilievre to remain as leader. Scheer says discussions are still underway regarding whether he will move into Stornoway, the official residence reserved for the Opposition leader. While Scheer is technically entitled to the residence, he suggests it's more practical and cost-effective for Pierre Poilievre to remain there temporarily. The Privy Council Office confirmed that only a sitting MP can occupy Stornoway, but deferred final decisions to the Conservative Party. If all goes according to plan, Poilievre could be back in Parliament by the fall.
  
  
• Speaking of Poilevre’s plan to return to Parliament, the Longest Ballot Committee plans to flood the upcoming Battle River-Crowfoot byelection with candidates to protest Canada’s electoral system. This follows Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's defeat in Carleton, after which MP Damien Kurek offered to vacate his Alberta seat for him. The group previously added 85 candidates in Carleton, creating logistical challenges and voter confusion with ballots nearly a metre long. They aim to pressure politicians to hand over electoral decision-making to an independent, citizen-led body. If 200 people sign up by May 12th, they’ll move forward with another oversized ballot. Elections Canada faced significant delays counting votes in the last election due to the ballot length. Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised a quick byelection call to help Poilievre re-enter Parliament. Poilievre, who recently visited Kurek’s farm, says he’s ready to represent rural Albertans and fight for “common sense values.”
  
  
• Newly appointed Interim NDP Leader Don Davies says the party is in early talks with the Carney government to regain official party status after winning just seven seats in the recent federal election, falling below the required threshold of 12. Without official status, the NDP loses key resources, including funding, committee spots, and question period opportunities. Davies stressed the importance of securing resources to represent the 1.2 million Canadians who voted for the party and is exploring creative ways to stay engaged, including partnerships with civil society. Many staff have already been laid off, and the party is also beginning its search for a permanent leader. Davies emphasized the need to reconnect with working-class voters, particularly in industrial cities where the NDP lost ground. He said rebuilding the party’s grassroots and broadening its policy focus beyond health care are essential steps moving forward.
  
  
• WestJet is suspending nine US routes this summer due to declining demand, including the postponement of a new Vancouver-to-Austin service. The cancellations impact several nonstop routes, some of which WestJet was the sole provider for, such as flights to Orlando, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The decline in cross-border travel is attributed by some to anti-Canada sentiment from President Trump, but could also just be reflective of the declining value of the Canadian dollar compared to the US dollar. In response to shifting demand, WestJet is expanding domestic and European routes instead. Rival Air Canada is facing similar trends, reporting a 10% drop in US bookings and shifting focus toward Latin America. Both airlines are also introducing new aircraft to support long-term growth plans.
  
  
• Ontario is moving forward with plans to build four small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), marking the first such project in the G7 and potentially setting a global precedent. These compact reactors, significantly smaller than traditional plants, will be built near the existing Darlington Nuclear Station and are expected to power up to 1.2 million homes once completed by 2035. The first unit alone will cost $7.7 billion and generate 300 megawatts of electricity, with Ontario Power Generation overseeing construction. Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick are also considering SMRs, contingent on Ontario’s success. Over 80 Ontario companies will contribute to the project, which is expected to create 18,000 jobs. The provincial government sees SMRs as key to meeting rising energy demands, which could increase by 75% by 2050. Critics suggest that wind and solar are cheaper alternatives and warn about reliance on US-supplied enriched uranium, especially under potentially unstable political conditions.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

With the federal election behind us, there’s been renewed talk about alienation and even separation.

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Which province are you from, and do you identify more with your province or with being Canadian?